Sprinkler head



M 30, 1933- J. H. CLARKE El AL SPRINKLER HEAD Filed Jan. 19, 1952INVENTORJ James flawze y Wad 14% Z (Yaw Z6.

A TTORN Patented May 30, 1933 unirso stares PATENT OFFICE" JAMES H.CLARKE AND WILLIAM R. CLARKE, or CLEVELAND, OHIO SPRINKLER HEADApplication filed January 19, 1932. Serial No. 587,523.

This invention relating, as indicated, ,to sprinkler heads has specificreference to the form of construction of. an automatic sprinkler head ofthe type connected to a water supply line and provided with some suchmeans as a fusible linkwhich, under the heat generated by aconflagration, will permit a valve member in such sprinkler head tobecome unseated and thereby project astream of water onto suchconfiagration for the purpose of extinguishing the same.

As is wellknown to those familiar with the art, a fire of relativelysmall proportions is capable of generating sufiicient heat so that thefusible link will turn on the stream of water. The damage occasioned bysuch circumstances is usually traceable, in a large measure, to theinjury by the water from the sprinkler head and only a small measure isactually due to the fire.

In order to safeguard against an inadver tent closure of the lineleading to the sprinkler heads and accordingly, to insure that thesprinkler apparatus, 'at all times, has available a supply of water,only a central controlling valve, usually at a remote point, is employedfor'controlling the flow to the sprinkler heads. V I

In buildings as they are at present constructed this valve for thesprinkler system is usually located at a point not well known to theoccupants of the building, so that if asmall blaze sets ofi a sprinklerhead, considerable water damage will result before the proper partiescan be summoned to turn 01? the water supply.

It is-ainong the objects of our invention to provide a form of sprinklerhead con '40 struction in which the normal operation of the head, in themanner Well known, is not interfered with. A sprinkler head constructedin accordance with the principles of our invention cannot beinadvertently actuated to render the same ineffective for the purposesfor which it has been designed. I I

The sprinkler head comprising our invention is provided with meanswhereby the flow of water released by the melting of the fusible linkmay be quickly and completely shut off by simply tapping a lateralprojection on such head.

It is among the objects of our invention to provide a sprinkler headhaving all of the above named desirable characteristics. Other objectsof our invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accon iplishmentv of the foregoing and related ends, saidinvention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed. out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mecha nism embodying the invention, such dis closed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms inv which theprincipleof the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional, part side elevational view of a sprinklerhead constructed in accordance with the principles of our invention;Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig.

1. showing the mainclosure member removed from the head; and Fig. 3 is aview similar to the previous figures illustrating the auxiliary closuremember in sealing engagement over the discharge opening. I

Referring now more specifically to the drawing and more especially toFig. 1, the sprinkler. head constructed in accordance with our inventionis generally of the usual form, in that it is provided with a threadedextension 1 adapted to be screwed into a nipple or similar fittingin apipe line, so that water or other fluid may be supplied to the passage2. The lower end of the body 3 of the head is provided with a yoke l.The yoke 4 may, at its lower end, be provided with the usual deflectorfor breaking up the stream of water discharged in case of fire.

At the lower end of the passage 2, the head is formed with inner andouter valve seats 5 and 6 respectively. Normally seating on the outervalve seat 6 is a main closure member 7 held in seating engagement onits seat by means of a fusible link 8, which is supported at itsopposite end by the yoke 4. The link 8 has been only diagrammaticallyillustrated and it is to be noted that the form of the means formaintaining the main closure member 7 on its seat may be varied withoutdeparting from the principles of this invention.

The main closure member 7 is provided with an axially extendingprojection 9 which, along with an enlargement 10 in the contiguous wallof the body 3, forms a pocket in which is positioned a sphericalauxiliary closure member 11.

' The wall of the body member 3 adjacent the pocket containing themember 11 is provided with an outwardly directed bore 12 in which ispositioned a reciprocable actuating stem 13. Leakage past the stem 13 isprevented by means of a packing nut 14. The inner end of the stem 13 ishookshaped, as at 15, and is engaged in an aperture 16 provided thereforin the member 11, the form of such aperture'being most clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3. The stem 13 is also provided with an annularflange'16a for the purpose hereinafter more fully explained.

The stem 13 is, at its outerend, provided with a flange 17 which may beremovably secured thereto and which serves as anabutment for thecompression spring 18 which normally urges the stem 13 axiallyoutwardly.'- The flange 16a on the stem 13 prevents the spring 18 fromwithdrawing such stem too far, especially after the ball 11 has beenmoved into the position indicated in Figure 3. r

The function and operation of the above described form of constructionis briefly as follows:

The sprinkler head will be installed in the usual manner and the fusiblelink 8, or similar means provided for that purpose, will maintain themain closure member 7 on its seat 6 until sufficient heat generated by afire in the vicinity of the head causes such link to melt and therebypermit the main closure member 7 to be unseated and blown out under theinfluence of the pressure within the passage 2.

When the main closure member 7 is seated, as illustrated in Fig. 1, theprojection 9 will trap the ball 11 in the pocket provided therefor,'sothat such ball cannot be accidently displaced by movement of the rod 13.After the main closure member 7 has been unseated, the flow of 'fireextinguishing fluid through the passage 2 is unobstructed. The

hook-shaped terminal 15 of the rod 13 engaging the lip adjacent theaperture 16 is effective to prevent the eddy currents, incidental to theflow of extinguishing fluid, from moving the ball 11 out of its pocketIAfter the fire has subsided, the flow of fire extinguishing fluid may becompletely shut off by inward axial movement of the rod 13, which may beaccomplished by simply tapping the end 17 either with the hand or somesuitable tool.

As the rod 13 is moved axially inwardly, the ball 11 is moved onto theedge 19, which may be a part of the valve seat 5. As soon as the centerof gravity of the ball passes the vertical line through the edge 19, theball will roll over onto the seat 5 and assume the position illustratedin Fig. 3. The ball,

'in rolling over onto its seat, is disengaged from the stem 13, due tothe particular formation of the hook 153 and the recess 16.

As soon as the fire has been extinguished, the auxiliary closure member11 may then be moved over onto its seat by simply tapping the end of therod 13. The member 11, when seated in the manner described, is effectiveto completely closeoff the flow of fire extinguishing fluid, whetherliquid or gaseous.

The upper end of the threaded portion 1 may be provided with a peened inprojection 20 which is effective to prevent the ball 11 from passingupwardly through the passage 2,'thereby preventing the same fromgoingback into the water line or from falling. out of the head after the samehas beenremoved.

As above indicated, the auxiliary closure member .11 maynot beinadvertently'seated to obstruct the flow of fluid until the mainclosure member 7 has first been unseated. The additional structure tothe sprinkler head comprising our invention, therefore, .in no way,curtails the possibility of the sprinkler head functioning in the mannerfor which it has been designed upon the occurrence of a fire.

Other advantages incidental to the employment of the apparatuscomprising our. invention will be so apparent to those familiar with theart that a further description thereof is believed unnecessary.

Other modes. of applying. the principle of our invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any. of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We thereforeparticularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention:

1. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, outer and inner valveseats about said opening, outer and inner closure members for suchopening respectively adapted to engage said seats, means associated withsaid outer member which when such member is seated locks said innermember in unseated position, and means for seating said inner member.

2. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, outer and inner closuremembers for such opening, means associated with said outer member whichwhen such member is seated locks said inner member in unseated position,means for maintaining said inner member unseated after said outer memberhas been unseated, and means for seating said inner member.

3. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, a main closure memberfor such opening, a spherical auxiliary closure member within said head,an annular valve seat for said auxiliary member around said opening, andmeans associated with said main closure member which when such member isseated locks said auxiliary member off its seat, and means for movingsaid auxiliary member on to its seat.

4:. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, a main closure memberfor such opening, a spherical auxiliary closure member within said head,an annular valve seat for said auxiliary member around said opening, andmeans associated with said main closure member which when such member isseated locks said auxiliary member off its seat, means for locking saidauxiliary member off its seat after said main member has becomeunseated, and means for seating said auxiliary member.

5. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, a main closure memberfor such opening, a spherical auxiliary closure member within said head,an annular valve seat for said auxiliary member around said opening, andmeans associated with said main closure member which when such member isseated locks said auxiliary member off its seat, and means effective tohold said auxiliary member off its seat after said main member hasbecome unseated and movably effective to seat such auxiliary member.

6. A sprinkler head having a discharge opening, a main closure memberfor such opening, a spherical auxiliary closure member within said head,an annular valve seat for said auxiliary member around said opening, andmeans associated with said main closure member which when such member isseated locks said auxiliary member off its seat, and means extending outof the body of said head for seating said auxiliary closure member.

7. In a sprinkler head provided with a discharge orifice, axially spacedvalve seats associated with said orifice, an outer main closure memberfor said orlfice adapted to engage one of said seats, an inner auxiliaryspherical closure member for said orifice JAMES H. CLARKE. WILLIAM R.CLARKE.

